Electrical connector with contact alignment member

Abstract

An electrical connector (1) comprises, a housing (4), a mating face (6) on the housing (4), multiple electrical contacts (7) in the housing (4), terminals (8) on the contacts (7) projecting from the housing (4) for connection with a circuit board, and an insulating alignment member (28) biasing the terminals (8), and a base portion (26) on the housing (4) adapting the connector (1) for vertical mounting and, alternatively, for right angle mounting to a circuit board.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electrical connector comprising: an insulating housing, a mating face on the housing, multiple electrical contacts in the housing, terminals on the contacts projecting from the housing for connection with a circuit board on which the housing is mounted, and an insulating alignment member biasing the terminals into spaced apart alignment, and further wherein,   a recessed lip is along a first recess in the housing behind the mating face, a second recessed lip is along a second recess in the housing, the second lip extends perpendicular to the first lip, the alignment member fits alternatively in the first recess or in the second recess and against the corresponding first lip or the corresponding second lip, when the terminals extend respectively in a first direction from the housing or in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.   
     
     
       2. An electrical connector comprising: an insulating housing, a mating face on the housing, multiple electrical contacts in the housing, terminals on the contacts projecting from the housing for connection with a circuit board on which the housing is mounted, and an insulating alignment member biasing the terminals into spaced apart alignment, and further wherein,   a recessed lip is on the housing behind the mating face, a second recessed lip is on the housing, the second lip extends perpendicular to the first lip, the alignment member registers alternatively against the corresponding first lip or the corresponding second lip, when the terminals extend respectively in a first direction from the housing or in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.   
     
     
       3. An electrical connector as recited in claim 2 wherein, the first lip is in a first recess in the housing and the second lip is in a second recess in the housing.